Clare look forward to Roscommon Minor Test

Date:20th July 2013

 

Clare v Rosommon

 

Venue:  Ballinasloe, Co.Galway

 

Time:2pm

 

 

 

All roads will lead to Ballinasloe this Saturday for Clare Ladies Football as the county minor representatives strive to salvage some underage pride for the county from what has been very disappointing year to date at inter-county underage.

 

With both the U-14’s and U-16’s making early and tame Munster championship exits all hope of silverware rested with the U-18 squad and in fairness the John Burke trained squad did not disappoint with a battling performance against Waterford to gain victory in what was a thrilling Munster final in Tipperary Town on May 4^th.

 

With the competition then suspended for the duration of the leaving certificate and 1^st year college exams both semi-finalists will have almost eleven weeks without a competitive match.  Clare have had a recent challenge against their Kerry counterparts and I’m sure Roscommon will have had a similar run out against Connacht opposition but it will be the team who reacts sharpest after the long lay off that will have the distinct advantage on Saturday.

 

Clare are fortunate that many of their first fifteen are also on the senior panel and will have benefited from participation in senior inter-county games over the past two months and will have gained added benefit from seeing senior county championship action with their clubs over the past number of weeks also.

 

Players such as Amy O’Brien, Aisling Corbett, Orlaith Lynch, Emer Hillary, Katie Connole, Marie Foran and Katie Connole should thus be in an advanced state of preparedness for this match given their senior squad involvement.  Kilmurry-Ibrickane’s Chloe Moloney is also in flying form for her club as is Niki Kaiser ofNewmarket. Shauna Harvey remains a big injury doubt and if not fully recovered will be a big loss to the side while her sister Grainne should make the starting defensive line up.

 

Clare will be favourites for this game and rightly so but given the higher standard of the Munster B Championship than that in Connacht B series.  However in an All Ireland semi-final anything can happen and Clare will need to be fully focused to ensure that they are the one’s leaving Ballinasloe on Saturday with a place in the All Ireland Final on the August Bank Holiday Monday safely secured.

 

Trainer John Burke will have the team flying I’ve no doubt and under the watchful eye of manager David Browne and selectors J.J. O’Dea, Martin Nolan and Marie Louise Kaiser I’m sure this team will give one hundred per cent on Saturday and is so doing provide a major fillip for the game in the county.  Clare Ladies Board secretary Bernie Regan has asked all club members to come out and support the girls on Saturday. Throw in is at2.00pmin Ballinasloe.

 

Clare Panel: Aoife O’Neill, Sinéad Considine, Amy O’Brien, Gráinne Harvey, Joanne Howley, Marie Foran, Orlaith Lynch, Aisling Corbett, Emer Hillary, Katie Connole, Niki Kaiser, Orla Devitt, Nollaig Blake, Chloe Moloney, Grainne Nolan, Orlagh Kennelly, Aoife Keane, Carla Behan, Karen Roche, Eva O’Dea, Jenny Ryan, Rachel O’Toole, Eimear Casey, Sinéad O’Keeffe, Rebecca Devine, Emma Mcmahon, Shauna Harvey, Colette Keniry.

 

 

Footnote:

Clare ladies senior team will be in action the following Saturday in a first round qualifier game against Kildare.  The time or venue for this game has yet to be decided as it will form part of a double header with Donegal v Westmeath.  Both games are to be covered by TG4.